Folklore, which goes back to Colonial times, says the upcoming winter can be predicted by the stripes on the Woolly Bear caterpillar.
According to the legend, the longer the woolly bear’s black bands, the more severe the winter will be–longer, colder and snowier. On the flip side, the wider the middle brown band is, the milder the upcoming winter will be.
In addition, the position of the longest dark band is said to indicate which part of winter will be coldest and hardest. So, if the head end is dark, then the beginning of winter will be worse. If the opposite end is dark, the end of winter will be colder.
According to the folklore, the 13 segments of the caterpillar’s body correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. And the "woolier" the coat, the colder the winter.
The caterpillar’s coloring is thought to be based on its age, how long it’s been feeding and its species. In North America, there are over 200 species.
I took the below pics the other day on my walk. Seems, based on these dudes anyway, that we're in for a milder winter around here, if you believe in the folklore. We'll have to wait and see what Old Man Winter delivers...
No comments:
Post a Comment